After the social worker left, Dallas turned to face his sister,

"So, you're Cade?"

She nodded, her golden eyes hard and tough,

"So…uh…let's go meet the gang." He said, walking out the door with Cade right behind him, and quite frankly, it scared Dallas.

Who is she? Well, she's my sister, duh. But why the hell did they send her to ME? Do they check police records? Apparently not. Hell, I can't take care of a cat, let alone a teenage kid.

They reached the vacant lot at around noon, where a group of guys were gathered around a busted up car.

"Hey Dallas! Who's the kid?" one of them called, tossing a beer can aside.

"Two-Bit, this is my sister."

Two-Bit and the other one started cracking up as Ponyboy, the kid from yesterday, looked at Dallas intently.,

"So, how'd she get stuck with YOU? Musta been by force."

"Naw, some guy came, told me to take her, and then left. Kinda weird."

"Guys! Stop talking about her in third person as if she isn't there." Ponyboy said, and Dallas looked straight at him,

"What'd you say punk?"

Ponyboy straightened up,

"Nothing. Nothing at all. Just noticing the color of that rusted car."

Everyone then turned to look at the car, then back at Ponyboy.

"okay, Pony. You're just weird man." Two-Bit laughed, as Pony lit a cigarette, leaning back on the grass..

Cade sat down on the ground, not sure of what she was supposed to do as the guys continued to talk until Dallas, Two-Bit, and the other guy who she learned was named Steve, walked off.

So her and Pony were left alone by the rusted car and Pony finally sat up and decided to start somewhat of a conversation.

"So, um…I don't think we've met. I'm Ponyboy." He said, holding out his hand.

"Cade." She said quietly, shaking his hand.

"So, if you don't mind me asking, how old are you?"

Cade looked at him, "I…uh…just turned 13."

"No way! Me too!" Ponyboy exclaimed, "What day?"

"September 28?"

"Me too, how weird is that?" he said, laughing.

Dallas, two-Bit, and Steve meanwhile were over in a corner of the lot, talking.

"So your parents just sent her over here?"

"Yea, weird huh? She's kinda quiet, I haven't been able to get one word outta her."

"Well, apparently that could be just you." Steve noted, pointing over to where Ponyboy and Cade were talking and laughing.

"Well, then are you gonna keep her? I mean, you only got a couple years unitl she takes care of herself."

"Nope. At the end of six months, she's going somewhere else. She ain't gonna stay here, this is my turf."

"No way! I mean, Great Expectations was good and all but it still doesn't beat Moby Dick…"

"Ponyboy, what are you on? Of course it is! Better style of writing more intimate characters, and the fact that one of the characters cant be made into blubber nuggets!" Cade laughed, looking at Ponyboy.

'Boy we have a lot in common, I don't think I've met anyone quite like her' Ponyboy thought.